Published on Jun 21, 2026 • Updated on Sep 8, 2026
This article was written by Adem Tumerkan
Content Editor, Dunham | 2025 ThinkAdvisor Luminary Award Winner | 2026 Wealthies Finalist — Thought Leader of the Year | Macroeconomics, markets, geopolitics & global trends
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A turn-key asset management program (TAMP) is a platform that manages investments and related operations for financial advisors.
TAMPs typically charge a percentage-based fee on assets under management, separate from or bundled with the advisor’s own fee.
By outsourcing model management, trading, and reporting, advisors can spend more time on planning, client meetings, and business development.
A turn-key asset management program (TAMP) is a platform financial advisors use to outsource parts of their investment-management and operational workload. It can help with portfolio implementation, trading, rebalancing, reporting, and other back-office functions - similar to how the Dunham Asset Allocation Program helps advisors implement portfolios at scale.
TAMPs first gained traction in broker-dealer environments, but today they are common among independent financial planners and RIAs as well.
The core idea is the same across channels - the TAMP handles much of the investment implementation so the advisor can focus on advice and relationships.
Most TAMPs help monitor and manage client portfolios according to preset guidelines or model portfolios. They may implement trades, rebalance accounts, and apply changes across many clients at once. Some platforms also offer back-office services such as billing, fee collection, performance reporting, and distribution processing.
The investments managed through a TAMP can include stocks, bonds, funds, ETFs, and other asset types, depending on the platform’s lineup and the advisor’s preferences.
TAMPs usually charge a percentage-based fee on the assets they manage. The exact cost depends on several factors, including:
Advisors can choose how to structure these fees for clients.
For instance, an advisor charging a 1.00% advisory fee might work with a TAMP that charges an additional 0.30%. Together, the total cost to the client would be 1.30%, with each component clearly disclosed so clients understand what they’re paying for advice and for investment management.
Some absorb part of the TAMP fee into their own advisory fee. Others keep their fee separate and allow the TAMP to bill its fee directly, similar to how a mutual fund manager earns a fee for managing the fund while an advisor earns a separate fee for selecting and monitoring that fund.
The key is making total costs transparent to clients and ensuring the value of the outsourced services is clear.
For many financial advisors, the main benefit of a TAMP is time. Tasks that were once handled manually can be automated or delegated, allowing advisors to focus on higher-value work.
For example, a solo advisor who once spent every Monday rebalancing accounts and running reports might now let a TAMP handle those tasks automatically. That same day can be repurposed for client review meetings, proactive outreach, or building a new planning offer.
By leveraging a TAMP, advisors can spend more time:
These activities tend to drive more client value and business growth than manually checking holdings, entering trades, and reconciling accounts.
TAMPs have been around since the 1980s, when they were used mainly in broker-dealer relationships. Today, they serve a much wider range of advisors and planning firms.
Modern clients expect their advisors to take a comprehensive view of their finances. They want help with investments, retirement, taxes, estate planning, and more. That breadth makes it difficult for any single advisor or small team to also run a fully in-house investment and operations platform.
A TAMP can be a good fit for:
Consider an advisor who works with business owners, retirees, and tech professionals. Each group needs different planning strategies, but the core investment implementation is similar. A TAMP can handle the shared portfolio work, freeing the advisor to tailor planning conversations to each client’s situation.
When used thoughtfully, a TAMP helps advisors stay in their highest-value role: interpreting data, coaching clients, and making informed decisions, rather than managing every operational detail.
If you’re a financial advisor who is not yet using a turn-key asset management program, it may be time to explore what these platforms can do for your practice. Outsourcing investment implementation and back-office work can free up meaningful time for client service and growth.
Dunham was recently named to USA Today’s 2026 list of Best Financial Advisory Firms, reflecting our long-term focus on serving financial advisors with investment solutions and support.
We’ve worked with many advisors who wanted to streamline their workflow without sacrificing quality or control (check out our Advisors Resources Hub for more guides and educational material).
Our Business Development Team can help you evaluate whether a TAMP solution fits your firm’s needs and how to implement it smoothly.
What does TAMP mean in finance? TAMP stands for turnkey asset management program, a platform that handles investment implementation tasks like portfolio construction, trading, rebalancing, and performance reporting on behalf of a financial advisor. The advisor stays in control of the client relationship and overall financial advice, while the TAMP manages the operational and back-office work behind the portfolio.
How much does a TAMP cost? TAMP fees typically range from roughly 0.25% to 2.5% of assets under management, depending on the provider, model complexity, and whether services like billing and reporting are included. An advisor charging a 1.00% advisory fee might pair it with a TAMP charging another 0.30% to 0.60%, bringing the client's total cost to around 1.30% to 1.60%, with each layer clearly disclosed.
How is a TAMP different from working with a single asset manager or fund? A single asset manager or mutual fund usually runs one strategy or product, while a TAMP is a broader platform that can implement multiple models, strategists, and asset classes across an advisor's whole client base. This lets an advisor offer a more comprehensive, multi-strategy approach without building separate relationships and infrastructure for each piece.
When did TAMPs start, and who uses them today? TAMPs got their start in the 1980s as an outsourced alternative to advisors picking individual stocks or funds for clients, and they were first distributed mainly through broker-dealers. Today, independent RIAs, financial planning firms, and broker-dealers of all sizes use TAMPs, especially advisors who want to deliver holistic planning without building an in-house investment and operations team.
This communication is general in nature and provided for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be considered or relied upon as legal, tax or investment advice or an investment recommendation, or as a substitute for legal or tax counsel. Any investment products or services named herein are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered an offer to buy or sell, or an investment recommendation for, any specific security, strategy or investment product or service. Always consult a qualified professional or your own independent financial professional for personalized advice or investment recommendations tailored to your specific goals, individual situation, and risk tolerance. All examples are hypothetical and are for illustrative purposes only.
Information contained in the materials included is believed to be from reliable sources, but no representations or guarantees are made as to the accuracy or completeness of information. This document is provided for information purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice.
About USA TODAY’s Best Financial Advisory Firm List:
The ranking was tabulated by market research firm Statista to rank the top 1000 RIA firms in the U.S. The ranking of the best (“RIA Firms”), published in April 2026, is based on two dimensions:
Recommendations from financial advisors, clients, and industry experts:
Recommendations were collected through an independent survey among over 30,000 individuals. Clients, industry experts, and financial advisors could recommend RIA firms they consider commendable. Self-recommendations were not allowed.
Development of Assets under Management (AUM):
A firm’s AUM growth was analyzed using publicly available data from the SEC IAPD regulatory database, measuring both short-term growth (January 2025–January 2026) and mid-term growth over the past three years (2023–2026) to reflect recent firm momentum with the ADV data being as of 12/31 each year.
The final score was calculated by weighting recommendations at 20% and AUM development at 80%. Within the AUM growth metric, short-term and mid-term growth were each weighed 30/70. The final score was calculated as follows: 20% x recommendation score + 80% x AUM development score = final score. All surveyed individuals were selected at random.
For more information about the ranking and methodology visit STATISTA, and to see the complete list of Top Financial Advisory Firms of 2026 visit USA Today.
This award is not indicative of future investment performance and should not be construed as an endorsement of Dunham & Associates Investment Counsel, Inc. by any client or industry participant. Rankings are based on information collected during the survey period and may not reflect subsequent developments.
Dunham & Associates Investment Counsel, Inc. is a Registered Investment Adviser and Broker/Dealer. Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services and securities offered through Dunham & Associates Investment Counsel, Inc.
